After spending the whole week learning about Channel 4 and its somewhat unique position within British broadcasting, I’ve come to the conclusion that, from what I’ve seen, the channel has essentially abandoned its mandate. I’m not faulting the network for this; its public service remit is simply unsustainable for a channel supported by advertisements.<\/p>\n
Now, if we had simply watched the episodes of Peep Show <\/em>and Black Mirror<\/em>, I might be able to concede that Channel 4 is still looking to innovate, educate, and create a more edgy, experimental brand. However, the episode of Big Fat Gypsy Wedding<\/em> as well as the typical week’s schedule that Professor Becker showed us seems to indicate otherwise. When a channel like TLC is showing me “Toddlers and Tiaras” or “Strange Sex Stories” I don’t buy it if they say they’re trying to educate me or show me what a diverse country I live in. No, they’re trying to be sensationalistic to get more viewers and higher ad rates. So just because Channel 4 is twisting the stated purpose of these programs doesn’t mean they’re not trying to do the same thing TLC is doing. I remember my Mom talking about Gypsy Wedding<\/em> earlier in the year, and I had no idea it was a British import. The fact that I couldn’t tell a TLC program from a Channel 4 program seems to indicate that it isn’t pushing the limits in ways Channel 4 wants to.<\/p>\n That kind of turned into a rant, but even the other shows on the schedule all seemed pretty derivative of each other. Even if the “fly on the wall” documentary shows were edgy or educational at one point, having them fill up half of the channel’s schedule kind of causes them to lose their remit-fulfilling luster. Even Peep Show<\/em>, which may have been a perfect example of what Channel 4 should be doing, is in its 7th series, and is already commissioned for two more. Frankly, to do what Channel 4 should be doing, it always has to be innovating instead of remaining stagnant. Unfortunately, when you’re supported by commercials, becoming stagnant, relying on inertia and giving the people what they want is often the most financially sound choice.<\/p>\n Luckily, there’s still hope. I thought Black Mirror<\/em> was a perfect example of what Channel 4 should be doing. First of all, it was only three episodes, so there wasn’t a chance of stagnation. In addition, the show really did have an edge to it that set it apart from the various BBC dramas that we’ve seen so far. It definitely stuck with me far more than most of the other shows we’ve watched, to the point where I was annoying my housemates by talking to them about it hours after I had gotten home from the screening. Even if Channel 4 can’t be edgy and innovative all the time, hopefully it will continue to commission shows like Black Mirror<\/em> that really do exhibit the distinctive character the channel wants to portray.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After spending the whole week learning about Channel 4 and its somewhat unique position within British broadcasting, I’ve come to the conclusion that, from what I’ve seen, the channel has essentially abandoned its mandate. I’m not faulting the network for … Continue reading